Shell catcher for firearms, particularly shotguns

ABSTRACT

A shell catcher for firearms, particularly shotguns. A cavity within the receiver is formed, by milling of the barrel and receiver to accept a flat plate which is the shell catcher, which is positioned to partially restrict the effective width of the ejection port in the receiver. The restricted ejection port prevents complete ejection of the spent shell or cartridge case, grasping and holding it in a partially ejected position until it is manually moved forward, freeing it from said restriction and removed from the ejection port.

Weatherby et al. July 8, 1975 1 SHELL CATCHER FOR FIREARMS, 3,755,946 9/1973 Tomlinson et al. 42/| T PARTICULARLY SHOTGUNS E S I F b I I Primary xaminer amue ein erg [75] Inventors Roy g g i g g E i: Assistant Examiner-Charles T. Jordan Jenme uena at 0t 0 a l Attorney, Agent, or FirmHerzig & Walsh [73] Assignee: Weatherby, Inc., South Gate, Calif. 22 Filed: Dec. 10, 1973 I II II (ABSTRACT I I II A 5 e1 catc er or irearms, particu ary s otguns. A [21] App! 423468 cavity within the receiver is formed, by milling of the barrel and receiver to accept a flat plate which is the [52] US. Cl 42/1 T Shell e h ch is positioned to partially restrict 51 Int. Cl. F4lc 27/00 the effective i th o he ejection port in the receiver. 531 Field of Search 42/1 T The restricted ejection P Prevents cflmplew j tion of the spent shell or cartridge case, grasping and 5 Ref nc Cited holding it in a partially ejected position until it is man- UNITED STATES PATENTS ually moved forward, freeing it from said restriction and removed from the ejection port. 3,390,610 7/1968 Jordan .a 42/1 T 3.609.900 10/1971 Bernocco 42/l T 8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures 1 SHELL CATCI-IER FOR FIREARMS, PARTICULARLY SI-IO'IGUNS SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is a shell catcher adapted for use with firearms, and more particularly with shotguns, to prevent spent shells or cartridge cases from being completely ejected through the ejection port in the receiver.

One manner of utilization of the invention is for trap shooters and/or reloaders. Normally, spent shells are ejected cleanly and completely through the ejection port; and it is desired to prevent this by restricting spent shells from being fully ejected and to hold them in a partly ejected position, permitting the trap shooter to manually grasp the casing and dispose of it or save it for future loading.

In a preferred form of the invention as described herein, it is of very simply construction, permitting great ease and facility of utilization. In the preferred form, the shell catcher is a flat plate which is fitted into a cavity formed by milling a relief in the cylindrical bore inside the receiver and a recess in the barrel to provide said cavity in which the shell catcher fits and is retained by peculiarities of its configuration and normal assembly of the barrel and receiver. The shell catcher is positioned to partially restrict the width of the ejection port so that the spent shell will not be fully ejected through the ejection port but will be restrained and held in a partially ejected position. The shell catcher has an edge which has a taper with respect to the effective width of the ejection port so that it provides both said restriction and the clearance needed to manually remove the spent shell by moving it forward and out of the ejection port.

With respect to the background of the invention, attention is called to the following patents: U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,803,080; 2,952,933; 3,087,387; 3,270,617; 3,390,610; 3,603,015; and 3,609,900.

In the light of the foregoing, the primary object of the invention is to provide a shell catcher adapted for use with firearms, more particularly shotguns, having the capability of preventing a spent shell from being ejected fully through the ejection port, retaining it, and requiring that it be manually grasped for removal.

A corollary object is to provide a shell catcher of simple construction, one that is economical, easy to install, and preferably comprising simply a flat plate fitted into a cavity formed between the barrel and receiver of the firearm with an edge positioned to partially restrict the ejection port in the receiver.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Further objects and additional advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and annexed drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a firearm having the shell catcher installed therein;

FIG. 2 is a pictorial view illustrating the shell being removed from the ejection port in the receiver;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the shell catcher of the invention;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an exploded isometric view illustrating the barrel of the firearm, the milled recess in the barrel extension, and the shell catcher;

FIG. 6 is a view of the receiver part of the firearm, illustrating the milled relief in the receiver;

FIG. 7 is a pictorial isometric view illustrating installation of the shell catcher;

FIG. 8 is an isometric view, partly in section, illustrating the shell catcher in installed position; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, a part of a firearm is illustrated which may be a typical shotgun having a receiver part 10 and a barrel part 12. As may be seen in FIG. 1, the receiver has a trigger guard 13 and trigger I4. It has a side opening 16 which is a typical ejection port through which spent shells or cartridge cases are ejected. In the side of the receiver is slot 20 and bolt actuator member 22.

The construction of the receiver and barrel is typical of firearms of the type referred to with modifications as described herein added to provide for installation of the shell catcher.

In the preferred form, the shell catcher is a flat plate 28 having a configuration as may be seen in FIGS. 3 and 4. The shell catcher has a straight upper edge 29 and a lug or projection 30 extending from its rearward end. Lower edge 31 has a taper or slant relative to edge 29 as shown. At the forward end of the shell catcher there is an extending lug 32 which extends from slanted surface 31. Adjacent this lug is a clearance hole 33, the remaining forward end part of the shell catcher being rounded or arcuate as shown at 34.

FIG. 5 shows the breech end of a typical firearm barrel which is a part having mutual engagement with a part of the receiver, that is, it fits into and assembles with the receiver. The barrel and receiver are typically held in assembled relationship by the forend nut which is not shown. The end of the barrel has an arcuate extension part 40 having in it cutouts shown at 41 and 42. Numeral 52 designates the end part of the barrel with respect to which the arcuate extension 40 protrudes. This end part has in it a cutout 53. The configuration of the thus described end part of the barrel is conventional and is such as to interengage with a mutual interengaging configuration within the receiver. The barrel, as modified for the invention, has an added recess 44. Recess 44 has a rounded or arcuate end part 45 and is adjacent to axial edge 50 forming projecting point 73.

For purposes of fitting the shell catcher into the firearm, a recess and relief are milled into the extension of the barrel of the firearm and into the receiver respectively. FIG. 9 is a cross section taken along line 99 of FIG. 8. Numeral shows a cross section of recess 44 which is milled into axial edge 61 of extension 40 of the barrel. FIG. 5 shows this milled recess isometrically. The milled recess has a flat bottom and right angle edge surface 62 as may be seen in FIG. 9. Referring to ejection port 16, its upper edge is designated at 66. The surface of the cylindrical bore inside the receiver adjacent to edge 66 is milled or relieved to provide a flat surface 68 as shown in FIGS. 6 and 9. Surface 68 is so positioned that it is parallel to the flat bottom of recess 44 in barrel 12 when the barrel and receiver are assembled.

The rear edge of ejection port 16 is designated at 70. As may be seen, the recess and relief as milled in the barrel and in the receiver, when juxtaposed, provide a cavity of rectilinear configuration adapted to receive edge 29 of shell catcher 28 as may be seen in FIG. 9. This cavity extends a distance rearwardly from rear edge 70 of ejection port 16 to receive and engage lug 30. The forward end part of this cavity is formed by arcuate end part 45 of recess 44 which, at its junction with axial edge 50, forms projecting point 73. The thus configured front portion of the cavity receives, engages, and retains the front portion of shell catcher 28. Thus, the barrel and receiver of the invention when assembled in a normal manner and provided with said cavity of the described configuration, traps or engages shell catcher 28, when installed in a manner which is simple and positive, shell catcher 28 being restrained from movement in a vertical plane by the juxtaposed flat bottom of recess 44 in barrel l2 and flat surface 68 in receiver 10, and in a horizontal or nearly horizontal plane by edge 62 of recess 44, the projection of lug 30 of shell catcher 28 rearward of surface 70 of ejection port 16 and internal in the receiver, the engagement of arcuate ends 34 and 35 of shell catcher 28 and recess 44 respectively, and the projection of point 73 into clearance hole 33.

FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate the installation of shell catcher 28. FIG. 7 shows insertion of the shell catcher into the cavity which receives its edge 29. Projection 30 is inserted into the part of the cavity that extends rearwardly from back edge 70 of the ejection port 16. Front arcuate part 34 of shell catcher 28 fits into the forward end of the cavity as seen in FIG. 8. The shell catcher can then be secured by locking the barrel in position by means of the forend nut.

FIGS. 8 and 9 shows shell catcher 28 in position. FIG. I shows a spent shell retained in ejection port 16 by the shell catcher, and FIG. 2 illustrates a spent shell being manually removed. Edge 31 of shell catcher 28 is at an angle to the top edge 66 of ejection port 16, and the shell catcher itself protrudes from receiver at an angle other than perpendicular to the side of the receiver. The shell catcher, so positioned and configured as it is, restricts the effective width at the rear of ejection port l6, the restriction diminishing in the forward direction. This restriction is such that it does not allow a spent shell or cartridge case to be fully ejected through ejection port 16, as is normal in a firearm not equipped with a shell catcher, but to be caught and held in a partially ejected position between shell catcher 28 and the lower edge 72 of ejection port 16 as shown in FIG. 1. The spent shell can be manually moved forward until the rim of the case passes beyond forward projection 32 of shell catcher 28 which, when the shell catcher is in the installed position, is rearward of front edge 71 of ejection port 16 in the receiver.

As can be observed, the invention accomplishes the objects as set forth in the foregoing. The spent shells or cartridge are prevented from being ejected fully out of the receiver through the ejection port. The shell catcher is extremely simple and economical to fabricate, as well as to install. Installation in a firearm requires only very minor modification of the firearm itself, i.e., simple milling cuts in the barrel and receiver to provide the cavity which accepts the shell catcher.

The foregoing disclosure is representative of a preferred form of the invention and is to be interpreted in an illustrative rather than a limiting sense, the invention to be accorded the full scope of the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

l. The combination with a firearm, including a receiver and a barrel having mutually engagable parts, the receiver having a side opening defining an ejection port which normally permits ejection of a shell case therethrough, the improvement comprising: a shell catcher adapted to hold a spent shell case until manually removed from said opening, said shell catcher comprising a flat plate which is held by the receiver and barrell adjacent to one longitudinal edge of said ejec tion port and being positioned so that the plate restricts the width of the ejection port, thereby restricting a spent shell case from being fully ejected through the ejection port, said plate being shaped to restrict the ejection port in varying degree along its length so that a spent shell case can be moved forwardly to allow removal from said ejection port.

2. The combination as in claim 1, wherein said plate has a tapered edge positioned at an angle to an adjacent edge of the ejection port.

3. The combination as in claim 1, wherein the shell catcher is configurated so as to be insertable into a cavity formed between a part of the barrel of the firearm and the receiver, the shell catcher having an arcuate end part adapted to fit into a part of the cavity whereby the shell catcher is retained in position.

4. The combination with a firearm, including a receiver and a barrel having mutually engagable parts, the receiver having a side opening defining an ejection port which normally permits ejection of a shell case therethrough, the improvement comprising: a shell catcher adapted to hold a spent shell case until manu ally removed from said opening, said shell catcher comprising a plate which is held within the receiver and ad jacent to one longitudinal edge of said ejection port and being positioned so that the plate restricts the width of the ejection prot, thereby restricting a spent shell case from being fully ejected through the ejection port, said plate being shaped to restrict the ejection port in varying degree along its length so that a spent shell case can be moved forwardly to allow removal from said ejec tion port, said shell catcher being fitted into a cavity formed between said mutually engagable parts, that is the receiver and the barrel.

5. The combination as in claim 4, wherein said cavity is provided by way of a recess milled into the rear of the barrel and a juxtaposed relief milled into the receiver.

6. The combination as in claim 5, wherein said cavity has a part extending beyond an end of the receiver opening, the shell catcher havinga lug adapted to be positioned and received in the extending part of the cavity whereby to hold the shell catcher in position.

7. As an article of manufacture, a shell catcher adapted for use with a firearm having a receiver with an ejection port to restrict ejection of spent shell cases through the ejection port in the receiver of the firearm, said article comprising: a plate adapted to fit into the receiver through the ejection port, said plate having an edge positioned to partially restrict the width of the ejection port which prevents the complete ejection of a spent shell or cartridge case therefrom, the edge havin g a shape and the catcher being positioned so that the spent shell case can be moved forwardly to permit its removal from the receiver, the edge of the plate having 6 adapted to receive the extending lug on the shell catcher and to retain the shell catcher in position, and said shell catcher having an arcuate end part on its other end adapted to fit into a mating portion of said cavity to retain the shell catcher in position.

i l i 

1. The combination with a firearm, including a receiver and a barrel having mutually engagable parts, the receiver having a side opening defining an ejection port which normally permits ejection of a shell case therethrough, the improvement comprising: a shell catcher adapted to hold a spent shell case until manually removed from said opening, said shell catcher comprising a flat plate which is held by the receiver and barrell adjacent to one longitudinal edge of said ejection port and being positioned so that the plate restricts the width of the ejection port, thereby restricting a spent shell case from being fully ejected through the ejection port, said plate being shaped to restrict the ejection port in varying degree along its length so that a spent shell case can be moved forwardly to allow removal from said ejection port.
 2. The combination as in claim 1, wherein said plate has a tapered edge positioned at an angle to an adjacent edge of the ejection port.
 3. The combination as in claim 1, wherein the shell catcher is configurated so as to be insertable into a cavity formed between a part of the barrel of the firearm and the receiver, the shell catcher having an arcuate end part adapted to fit into a part of the cavity whereby the shell catcher is retained in position.
 4. The combination with a firearm, including a receiver and a barrel having mutually engagable parts, the receiver having a side opening defining an ejection port which normally permits ejection of a shell case therethrough, the improvement comprising: a shell catcher adapted to hold a spent shell case until manually removed from said opening, said shell catcher comprising a plate which is held within the receiver and adjacent to one longitudinal edge of said ejection port and being positioned so that the plate restricts the width of the ejection prot, thereby restricting a spent shell case from being fully ejected through the ejection port, said plate being shaped to restrict the ejection port in varying degree along its length so that a spent shell case can be moved forwardly to allow removal from said ejection port, said shell catcher being fitted into a cavity formed between said mutually engagable parts, that is the receiver and the barrel.
 5. The combination as in claim 4, wherein said cavity is provided by way of a recess milled into the rear of the barrel and a juxtaposed relief milled into the receiver.
 6. The combination as in claim 5, wherein said cavity has a part extending beyond an end of the receiver opening, the shell catcher having a lug adapted to be positioned and received in the extending part of the cavity whereby to hold the shell catcher in position.
 7. As an article of manufacture, a shell catcher adapted for use with a firearm having a receiver with an ejection port to restrict ejection of spent shell cases through the ejection port in the receiver of the firearm, said article comprising: a plate adapted to fit into the receiver through the ejection port, said plate having an edge positioned to partially restrict the width of the ejection port which prevents the complete ejection of a spent shell or cartridge case therefrom, the edge having a shape and the catcher being positioned so that the spent shell case can be moved forwardly to permit its removal from the receiver, the edge of the plate having a taper positioned at an angle adjacent to an adjacent edge of the ejection port.
 8. An article as in claim 7, wherein said shell catcher has an extending lug on one end, the shell catcher being shaped to fit into a cavity in a firearm through its ejection port, said cavity having a portion extending beyond an end of the ejection port which portion is adapted to receive the extending lug on the shell catcher and to retain the shell catcher in position, and said shell catcher having an arcuate end part on its other end adapted to fit into a mating portion of said cavity to retain the shell catcher in position. 